Orion's Belt
by ClaireBear1982
Summary: Sirius is left afraid that his father will pull him out of Hogwarts...
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)

Assignment #6. Fairytales - 3 Little Pigs.

Task: Task A - The pigs were terrified of the wolf until they realised he could be beaten. Write about being afraid.

Extra Prompts: (Character) Remus Lupin. (Emotion) Anger.

Quidditch League practise round. Captain of the Wimbourne Wasps.

Write about Orion Black.

* * *

Orion Black's sons had come home from Hogwarts a fortnight ago, and he was already at the end of his tether.

He was angry at Sirius for his choice of friends; Regulus had told him exactly who his big brother was hanging around with.

Sirius, when he had found out about his brother's tattling, had come very close to getting himself expelled from Hogwarts for performing under age magic, but the thought of James, Remus and Peter had caused him to lower his wand, though it had not been without a word of warning to his brother that if he ever did something like that again, he would, curse him into oblivion.

Orion was especially annoyed that his eldest son was being seen in the company of the shabby looking Remus Lupin. Orion of course knew of the Lupin family - but not the family's biggest secret. Heaven forbid if that ever did come out. Not even Remus knew that Sirius, James and Peter had figured out the secret.

Everyday for the last two weeks Orion had harangued his eldest, but Sirius had turned a deaf ear.

Sirius had tried to avoid his father and mother as much as possible. Throughout most of the day he could stay clear, however, meals times were trickier, because Walburga wouldn't let her sons leave the table until Orion had given their ears a bashing about how Muggles were scum, and how he thought Voldemort had the right idea. Sirius hated it! He hated all the pure blood mania. Why couldn't they just live and let live? If it hadn't been for the mixing of blood, there'd been no witches and wizards left. Yet he was forced to sit there and take it - for now. One day he would break away. As soon as he was old enough he would go.

It was another evening when the Black family as usual were sitting down together eating dinner when Orion barked a sharp question at his son: "Sirius, have you given any consideration to what I've said about who your - ah - friends are?"

Neatly and carefully, Sirius, laid down his knife and fork before speaking.

"Father, I'm sorry, but I have no intention of giving up my friends. Not ever," he said quietly. He knew better than to put any heat into his words; he knew full well that his mother would likely give him a darn good thrashing if he did.

"You dare defy me?" said Orion crossly as he glared down the table at his son.

"I'm sorry, father, truly I am. But James, Remus and Peter are my very best friends - I cannot, and will not, give them up," said Sirius with as much maturity as he could muster. Reasoned argument was the way forward.

"I want you to have nothing to do with those boys! They're blood traitors the lot of them. You are from the most ancient and noble house of Black!"

"Be that as the case may be, father, but I do not support your pure blood supremacy. They are my friends and I will not betray them because of whom and what they are. May I please be excused?" asked Sirius curtly and rose from his seat without waiting for an answer.

Orion roared at Sirius to get out of his sight, and sent a teacup soaring at his head, which he mercifully ducked.

* * *

Orion had since then made Sirius stay in his room. Not that Sirius had had any proclivity to show himself. He made sure the only time his son appeared was mealtimes.

One evening just before his sons were to return to Hogwarts, Orion sent a shaft of fear through Sirius' heart.

"Sirius," Orion had barked once again. "If you do not stop hanging around with those blood traitors, I shall have no choice but to withdraw you from Hogwarts. Your mother has agreed that if this nonsense doesn't stop then we shall have to think about sending you to Durmstrang instead."

It felt like an icy hand had reached inside of Sirius' chest and gripped his heart in fear.

Over the next few days, Sirius alternated between paralytic fear and a deep sadness. He wanted more than anything to return to Hogwarts to his friends, but he knew that if his father was to find out he would send him away, and he didn't want to go away. He didn't want to go to Durmstrang school. He knew that school had a particular emphasis on the dark arts - something that Sirius had come to despise since he started learning about them at Hogwarts. He had no ambitions on joining the Death Eaters. He would sooner die than join Voldemort.

* * *

The summer was over. It was time for both boys to return to Hogwarts. Sirius had finally backed down and promised his father he'd have nothing more to do with the blood traitors.

Orion accompanied his sons to Kings Cross to see them on to the train. On the platform it was a mixture of noise and bodies. Finally finding a space at last, Orion spoke to his sons.

"Now, I want you both to be good boys this year - you especially, Sirius. Work hard at your lessons, and stay out of trouble where possible. Your education is important. Now off you both go."

Once Sirius was free of his father he joyfully jumped aboard the Hogwarts Express with every intention of joining James, Remus and Peter. But now the promise he'd made his father had come back to haunt him. How could he possibly sit with his friends? If Regulus was to go tattling again, he'd be out of Hogwarts quicker than lightening.

He felt his heart drop, and forlornly, he found a carriage to sit in by himself.

* * *

Midway through the journey, the compartment door slid open and closed quietly. Sirius looked up to find Remus stood there looking rather cross.

"Sirius, why are you avoiding us?" asked Remus directly, making Sirius squirm in his seat.

"Who says I'm avoiding you?" asked Sirius hotly. "Maybe I just wanted to be by myself."

Remus looked at Sirius incredulously. This was not the Sirius Black he knew!

"You hate being by yourself, Sirius," remarked Remus quietly. "One of us always has to come with you wherever you're going."

Remus bit back a grin at the thought, but then he looked down at Sirius and saw tears starting in his eyes.

"Remus, my friend, it's best if you just leave me alone. Please?" said Sirius huskily. "I can't be friends with any of you anymore or my father will..."

"Will what?" asked Remus cautiously.

But Sirius just shook his head.

Remus knelt on the floor in front of Sirius and placed a hand on each shoulder.

"He'll what?" asked Remus again softly.

"He'll take me out of Hogwarts and send me to Durmstrang," Sirius blurted. "I don't want to go to Durmstrang, I want to stay at Hogwarts. Oh Merlin, I'm so afraid that if father finds out that I'm still friends with you, he'll send me away."

By now, Sirius, was sobbing uncontrollably.

Remus felt a mixture of anger and pity for the poor boy sat in front of him. He was also distraught for his friend. In the three years they'd been friends, he'd never seen Sirius fall to pieces like this.

"Come with me, we'll find a way to sort this out. Even if that means going to the headmaster."

Gently, Remus pulled Sirius to his feet and led him back to the compartment where James and Peter were waiting for them.


End file.
